Comments on: Home Office minister will join Stonewall at hate crimes report launchhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/06/19/home-office-minister-will-join-stonewall-at-hate-crimes-report-launch/
PinkNews Gay news, reviews and comment from Europe's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans news serviceSun, 02 Aug 2015 22:31:00 +0000hourly1By: Robert, ex-pat Brithttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2008/06/19/home-office-minister-will-join-stonewall-at-hate-crimes-report-launch/comments/#comment-31796
Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:12:35 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=8033#comment-31796“Incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation was outlawed as part of the Criminal Justice Act which became law last month.

However, an amendment by Tory peer Lord Waddington, a former Home Secretary under Margaret Thatcher, was added to the bill.

His amendment to the offence of using threatening language with intent to stir up hatred on grounds of sexual orientation said that urging someone to change their sexuality should not count “of itself” as threatening or as intended to stir up hatred.

While he claimed his amendment was about “free speech,” in effect it gives people leeway to claim they were just following their religious beliefs when inciting others to hate gay, lesbian or bisexual people.”

Now, how about adding an amendment giving us the right to the type of incendiary speech the right wingers and others use towards us by using similarly offencive language to incite hatred against them because they conflict with our beliefs?